manufacturing facility and are excited to support other domestic manufacturers like Flowfold.” Merchants to still own and operate a U.S. “While L.L.Bean is a global company, Made in the USA has been part of our heritage for over 100 years. “Flowfold is an exciting young company that shares many of the core values we believe in here at L.L.Bean” Curt Nichols, Corporate Merchandise Manager at L.L.Bean says. “We can ensure excellence in quality and attention to detail when our products are made locally while also reducing our carbon footprint by not transporting finished goods across the world.” Made in USA is part of Flowfold’s brand ethos, something that L.L.Bean understands well. “To us, domestic manufacturing is about quality and environmental responsibility.” James Morin, COO of Flowfold says. Bean offering is a signal that the appetite for high quality, Made in America products is still growing. The addition of the new Flowfold Denizen Tote Backpack to the L.L. Flowfold, founded in Maine 98 years later, has been making their products domestically since they were established in 2010. Sharing a passion for quality craftsmanship and performance materials, Flowfold and L.L.Bean continue to expand on their line of American made products available at L.L.Bean’s flagship store in Freeport, Maine and online at L.L.Bean, known for their iconic Boat and Tote and The Original L.L.Bean Boot, is no stranger to domestic manufacturing with the Bean Boot being made in Maine since 1912. The two Maine companies have come together to offer L.L.Bean customers a Made in America backpack, which will be the only domestic option currently available at L.L.Bean. Starting August 2017, customers will be able to purchase the Made in America backpack at L.L.Beanįlowfold, a outdoor retail brand focused on minimalist gear for everyday adventures, is proud to announce a partnership with L.L.Bean to increase their Made in America product offerings. In recent years, the company has used color “more aggressively,” she said, or added modular pieces, such as a laptop carrier that pairs with a backpack.Get access to everything we publish when you On a recent weekday, she reviewed fabric samples for fall 2017. That job falls to senior designer Pam Jones, a three-decade veteran who has seen trends come and go. Bean has to find a way to differentiate.” “With everyone making backpacks, from Vineyard Vines to athletic companies, the backpack is crossing a lot of demographics and it creates the need for innovation,” Telsey said. Bean doesn’t disclose specific sales figures, but said it is among the top US backpack makers, adding that its overall pack sales have grown 3 percent a year on average.īut in a dense market, sales dominance can change quickly said Dana Telsey, chief executive of Telsey Advisory Group. Sales of that Deluxe Book Pack have increased 10 percent per year since 2011. The company’s bet on quality appears to be working. “There’s normal testing, and then there’s trying to anticipate problems. DaPonte, senior manager of global quality and testing. “It’s a trust-but-verify world we live in,” said David P. So the lab runs as many as 1,000 tests on components a year. If the company detects a change in zipper quality from YKK, its manufacturer in Tokyo, or synthetic fabric from China, it can save millions in returns and replacements. It’s unusual for a company to undertake such a test, but it’s the best way to ensure that if a so-called waterproof backpack ends up in a puddle, it will keep water out. In one corner, technicians conduct a “hydrastatic head test” to see how much force it will take to push water through the waterproof fabric it imports from overseas. Bean headquarters aims to take those quality promises and put them through the paces. The 4,000-square-foot space on the top floor of the L.L. “But we don’t want to change our values.” “We want to be competitive,” said Steve Jordan, a senior developer who oversees backpack production. Bean is banking on a built-to-last, affordability promise it’s been pushing for years. While others make backpacks that seem semi-disposable, even replaceable at the end of each school year, L.L. But it remains a bestseller.Īnd that’s the point. Its Deluxe Book Pack, a model designed around a three-ring binder, launched 26 years ago and little about it has changed, including the name. Bean, best known for its utilitarian styles, deep in a forest of competition with other companies offering trendier or lower-priced models.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |